Nurse's Notes: The Frustrated Writer

Friday, December 11, 2009 4:32am

I have finally decided to write a blog. What prompted my decision??

Well, I was browsing mindlessly across the internet with no definite destination in mind when I came across a website that featured 10 people who earned their first billion before the age of 40. Of these 10, I noticed that 5 of them actually made their fortune through a computer-related industry. And, just think, the top 2 placers are actually the co- founders of google.com! Wow!

I would bet all of those reading this have heard of google; but I'm sure not all of you knew that the two founders of google are the top 2 youngest billionaires in the world.
For those who actually know - and have known it for quite some time - well, good for you. I found it out just now. For one thing, I don't remember giving a single to cent to google. So who have thought their co-founders were actually that rich.

It just amazes me how they managed amass those riches at such a young age. I'm in my early 20's and I make about 12,000 Pesos (260 US dollars) a month. What are my chances at making a billion before the age 40??
Highly doubtful.

But then the thought of making a huge sum of money before your hair turns gray is really a very interesting prospect. It got me thinking, could I ever work myself out of this way of life and make it big that I never have to work again? And when that happens, would I be young enough to enjoy it?

And then it struck me. I can write! I always knew I had the knack for writing and telling stories.

I was 7 years old when I tried my first shot at writing. My mom bought this new typewriter for her home-based office. And naturally, as a 7-year-old kid with a natural, innate curiosity, I was automatically magnetized towards the typewriter. I was amazed by the clackity-clackity sound it made whenever you typed.

As soon as the typewriter was vacated, I was at it in a split second; working on my very first story; as only a first grader could tell it. If I remember it right, it was set in ancient Japan and it was about this Ninja Warrior who wanted to defend their land from nearby kingdoms who wanted to conquer them.

I spent the whole day typing that story, all the while being amused at the sounds made the typewriter. At the end of the day, I proudly showed my Mom the two-paragraph masterpiece I accomplished. Like any other literary piece made by a 7-year old boy, it was a complete flop.

I tried to rack my memory at how the piece was like and I think it looked something like this:

Adventures of the White Ninja
My son, we must be ready, nearby kingdoms are planning to take over our land! said the father. What would they want with our god-forsaken land anyway? answered the young prince. Our land is rich in iron! The kind you use to make swords! the father said. And the cool breeze swept across the hair of the prince.
This was the fruit of a healthy dose of cartoons and the history lesson they tell first graders. You could easily spot the errors. First of all, the conversations aren't enclosed in quotations marks and separated by paragraphs. Secondly, I immediately jumped from the conversation, to describing how 'the cool breeze swept across the hair of the prince'.

And of course, there's that little fact that in Ancient Japan, ninjas were disgraced samurai warriors, and not the son of the king.

And back then, I had this little habit of pulling the paper out of the typewriter, crumpling it into a ball, and throwing it into the trash bin in a fit of frustration whenever I made a typographical error. This explains why I only managed to finish 2 paragraphs after a whole days work. You can imagine how prone to typographical errors a first grader with a typewriter is.

My Mom is a teacher by profession. And she specializes in English! Imagine the bashing I got after I showed her my work. I bet she found more mistakes than words.

To make a long story short, my witting career as a first grader ended in flash. But I never departed from the typewriter. I would use it often just to hear the clackity-clackity sound it makes. I even made my very first love letter through the typewriter. I recalled using the typewriter so that the recipient of the letter wouldn't recognize my handwriting. But for some reason, she still found out it was from me (you know how 4th-grade girls are!). What was more embarrassing was the fact that she was my best-friend's crush. I'm sure he felt betrayed then, but I felt she would like me more because he was fat. (Kids!)

Anyway, at some point in my life, I turned to making comics. I had some really good stories brewing in my mind that I wanted released. My first few attempts failed as I ripped page after page after page when I couldn't get the drawings right.

But then, I got help from my step-cousin (and new best friend), who was a superb artist. I would describe to him what to draw and he would draw it. The partnership showed some success at first, and we actually managed to impress some of our classmates. But that success was also short-lived.

For one thing, we lacked original material. Most of our comics were like lost-editions or remakes of the Marvel Characters X-men and Spiderman who were at the peak of their popularity thanks to Friday Night Cartoons from ABS-CBN (a local network) .

We did manage to make our own set of heroes: The Cryztal Boyz!! (take note of the spelling): a group of youngsters who found a crashed alien space ship and were given magical crystals. (again, take note of the spelling) These crystalz would give them powers to protect the earth from an alien invasion. The characters, as expected, were based on us.

But then, when we showed the initial drafts to the rest of the class, all of them wanted to be part of the story, and my partner had to create more and more characters until every new character looked exactly like the last one except for the hair. The project was eventually scrapped because of the high character demand.

My entry into high school marked the start of the computer age in our country. By this time, Wordperfect by Windows entered the scene. This would have eliminated my problems at typographical errors and I would have been a more successful author. Especially since I now had 6 years of basic grammar school under my belt. But then hormones, adolescence, peer pressure, and family problems started to cloud my mind and my writing had to take a back seat. I would occasionally impress my high-school professor with a very well-done short story, but I didn't really seat down and write for pleasure.

I also had several shots at writing a good composition in college, but I didn't consider it as a career.

It was only today. At this moment, when feel really frustrated at my job, when I feel that I should have accomplished more than what I have accomplished, that I feel I ought to write again.

And I think I have the right tools this time. I have gone through pain, sorrow, ecstasy, and a whole lot more. I have a wonderful machine that allows me to correct typographical errors and broadcast my work to the whole world.

Would I make it as a writer??
I think so.

Do I have something to write about??
Oh yes I do!

Do I have the knack for writing??
You've read this far, I think I have a shot.

Will I make my first Billion before the age of 40?
Highly doubtful.

Will I ever get paid for writing??
Highly doubtful.
But at least here, I could write about how complete idiots some people are and the whole world would read about their stupidity. (Oh yes, hate is a very strong motivator.)

I am Jayr Amago. I work as a staff nurse for one of the premiere hospitals in the country.
I have a story to tell. I actually have a lot of stories to tell and I don't even know where to start.

This series is called 'Nurses Progress Notes'. They're not entirely about me, but about the world I live in. A world I'd like you to see. A world you might find interesting. So please, stay tuned, tell you friends, tell everyone.

READ MY BLOGS!!

Thank you